Astrid's eyes slowly opened, the warm light of the royal infirmary falling on her face. Eldric sat beside her, holding her hand tightly, while Magnus stood at the egde of her bed, his arms crossed.
"You're awake," Eldric said, relief washing over him.
Astrid blinked, trying to sit up, but a strange heaviness in her body made her pause. "What happened?" she asked weakly.
"The curse is gone," Magnus said, his voice calm but serious. "Lyra lifted it before she disappeared."
Astrid touched her chest, feeling something strange—like a faint pulse of dark magic still lingering inside her. She frowned. "It's not completely gone, is it?"
Eldric hesitated but didn't deny it. "There are traces left, but you'll recover in time."
Astrid's eyes darted around the room. "Where's Raiden?, is he alright."
Magnus tried to reassure her, but his expression was troubled. "He's fine… just dealing with his own problems right now."
Raiden stood alone near the edge of the forest, pacing back and forth. His fists clenched, his breathing uneven. The voice from the abyss was louder now, mocking him.
"You think you control your power? You are wrong. Your lightning is not a gift—it's a curse. You are tied to Raijin, the lightning god. His fury lives in you. You will destroy everything you touch."
"Shut up," Raiden muttered, his teeth clenched.
The green lightning crackled around him, sparks flying as the ground beneath his feet began to crack. His frustration grew, and with it, his power became unstable.
"Raiden!" Ash's voice cut through the chaos as he approached carefully.
Raiden spun around, his eyes glowing faintly green. A bolt of lightning shot from his hand, narrowly missing Ash and slamming into a nearby tree. The explosion sent ash and debris flying.
Raiden froze, his hands trembling. "Ash… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"
"You need to get a grip," Ash said firmly. "This isn't you. Don't let whatever's inside you take over."
Raiden sank to his knees, clutching his head. "I don't know if I can control it… What if I hurt someone? What if I hurt her?"
Later that day, the royal hall was filled with the elders of the land. Eldric stood at the head of the room, addressing them. Astrid, Magnus, Raiden, and Ash stood nearby, listening.
"We owe Raiden our thanks," Eldric began. "He defeated Lyra and freed our land from her curse. But there is another matter we must address."
The elders exchanged uneasy glances, clearly wary of Raiden.
Eldric continued, "Lyra spoke of Raiden as a danger. She said he would bring destruction. For the safety of our people, I believe it is best that he leaves this island."
Astrid came forward, her voice sharp. "Father, that's not fair! He helped us! How can you push him away like this?"
"This is not about fairness," Eldric said calmly. "It's about protecting our people."
Before anyone else could speak again, Astrid spoke.
"If he's leaving, then I'm going with him," she said.
The room fell silent. Eldric turned to his daughter, shocked. "Astrid, do you hear yourself? You're being unreasonable!"
"It's my choice," Astrid said firmly. "Raiden saved my life without even knowing me. I trust him, and I want to stay with him."
Magnus frowned. "Sister, you barely know him. Why are you so sure?"
"Because he didn't hesitate to save me," Astrid said, meeting her brother's eyes. "When I needed help, he was there. That's all I need to know."
Magnus looked like he wanted to argue, but Eldric raised a hand to stop him.
"If you're this determined," Eldric said with a sigh, "then I won't stop you. But promise me you'll stay safe."
Astrid nodded. "I will."
Eldric's wife, Astrid's mother, stepped forward. She turned to Raiden. "He risked his life for her such a good candidate for being her husband. Young man, will you vow to protect my daughter?"
Raiden stood tall, his voice steady. "I will protect her, no matter what it costs me."
Astrid's cheeks turned red looking at Raiden with shocked eyes, but she looked away when Raiden looked back at her, flustered.
Eldric sighed again. "Very well. But rest first, Astrid. You'll leave when you've healed."
Three days later, Astrid, Raiden, and Ash stood on the deck of a large boat. The sea stretched out before them endlessly.
Eldric and his wife stood on the dock, waving goodbye. "Take care of yourself, Astrid," Eldric called out.
Astrid waved back. "I will, Father. Thank you for understanding."
Raiden looked out at the horizon, a small smile forming. "The world is huge… and we've only just begun." He glanced at Astrid and Ash. "Alright. I've gotten two people. This can definitely work."
The boat sailed away, leaving the island behind. A new journey had begun.